


I Need You

by ReeLeeV



Series: Soul Mate Series [2]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-10-12 17:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10496223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReeLeeV/pseuds/ReeLeeV
Summary: Shin Hoseok's words have been giving him a hard time lately, but he doesn't know quite why. Does it mean he's about to meet his one and only soon? Or, is there something wrong?Yoo Kihyun isn't sure who this pain-in-the-butt soulmate of his is, but if he's half as much of a pain as his words are causing him, Kihyun is pretty sure he doesn't want to bother meeting him.





	1. Chapter 1

“Today was awful, Minhyukkie,” Hoseok whines, nestling his head into the younger’s lap. He closes his eyes in an attempt to block out the light in the living room, whimpering slightly. Minhyuk chuckles at the older’s babyish tendencies, running fingers through his hair affectionately.

“Your boss a total jerk again?” he asks, though he already knows the answer. Hoseok absolutely despises his boss, and would’ve quit by now if the pay weren’t so good. However, money doesn’t grow on trees, and neither wish to give up their apartment. So, Hoseok slaves away at a corporate building all day while Minhyuk works every part-time job he can get. Minhyuk would become a company drone like his friend, but he hasn’t become that desperate… yet. Hyunwoo and Jooheon, their other roommates, help out with rent as much as they can, as well, but Jooheon is merely an underground rapper and Hyunwoo doesn’t get hired too often because of his career choice being a backup dancer, leaving the rent to Hoseok and Minhyuk.

“You know what would make me feel better?” Hoseok says, his mood suddenly brightening as he smirks up at his best friend. Minhyuk sighs, immediately moving to get up.

“If you’d have checked on the stove before throwing yourself at me,” Minhyuk tells him, “you’d have seen that your ramyeon is already made.” Hoseok sits straight up, a look of awe on his face. Minhyuk can’t help but chuckle at the adorable expression, shaking his head at his hyung.

“You’re the best, Minhyukkie,” Hoseok compliments. He leaps up from the couch, fully intending to devour the meal, but a sharp pain in his side causes him to double over. His reaction is more from surprise than the pain itself, though he doesn’t know why he’s so surprised. He should be expecting this by now, it certainly happening long enough for him to get used to it by now.

“Hyung?” Minhyuk asks worriedly, moving to help the older straighten up. Hoseok throws out a halting hand, pressing his other against his side. He squeezes his eyes shut tightly, spots dancing in his vision.

“It’s alright,” he grunts out. “It’s just my words again.” He focuses on his breathing, it being the only sound in the room until he straightens back up. He meets Minhyuk’s anxious glance, throwing a nonchalant grin on his face.

“That shouldn’t be happening, hyung,” Minhyuk tells him, crossing his arms over his chest. “That never happened with my words.”

“That’s because you and Jooheonney hit it off immediately,” Hoseok replies, walking passed the younger into the kitchen. “Neither of you even understood what your words actually were when you two met.” Minhyuk shrugs, choosing to ignore that comment.

“Hyunwoo-hyung’s words don’t do that,” he retorts. Hoseok waves that off, yawning widely.

“It’s fine, Minhyukkie,” he insists. The front door opens suddenly, causing both their heads to snap over. Hyunwoo and Jooheon, their two other roommates, enter the apartment. Minhyuk cries out, flinging himself over at a surprised Jooheon.

“Heonney,” Minhyuk pouts, shoving his face close to the younger’s, “Hoseok’s words are hurting him, and he won’t listen to me about it.” Jooheon chuckles, wrapping his arms around the taller.

“What would either of us know about it?” Jooheon asks. “We met each other in kindergarten. We’re kind of in a different situation than he is.”

“They shouldn’t be hurting if you haven’t met your soulmate yet,” Hyunwoo mumbles, placing his shoes on the shoe rack by the door. “At the most they should be itching if you’re about to meet them, but they shouldn’t be causing you any pain.”

“Thank you, hyung,” Minhyuk says turning to shoot a triumphant glare at Hoseok. “Listen to him. He’s the oldest and wisest of us all.” Hyunwoo suddenly blushes at the comment, and he moves passed his friends to sit in the armchair. Hoseok shakes his head, ignoring his friend as he goes to sit at the table and eat his dinner.

“It’s fine,” Hoseok tells them. “Really, I can manage.”

“When I meet this soulmate of yours,” Minhyuk says, crossing his arms over his chest as he goes to sit at the table with Hoseok, “I’m going to kick him.” Hoseok chuckles loudly at this, his smile so wide some of the broth nearly falling from his mouth.

“It isn’t his fault, Minmoongie,” Hoseok defends. The words flare up once more, eliciting a grunt from him. Minhyuk raises an eyebrow, shaking his head at his friend.

“Well someone’s to blame,” Minhyuk argues, “and it sure isn’t you.” Hoseok shakes his head, loving how protective his friend is of him but also exasperated with the conversation. “Besides, I can already tell I’m not going to like him anyway. What he’s going to say to you is just… so…”

“How do you know what his words say?” Jooheon asks suddenly, glancing over at them from the living room.

“We’re best friends, Jooheon-ah,” Minhyuk replies easily, “we tell each other everything.” He waggles a brow at the younger, causing his usually nearly-closed eyes to widen exponentially.

“Did you tell him what I first said to you?” Jooheon asks worriedly. Hoseok’s knowing laugh is all the answer that’s needed, earning a pout from the boy on the couch. “Hyung!” Minhyuk coos, puffing out his cheeks at the cute expression.

“I’m sorry, Heonney,” he says, “it was just so adorable when you were little.” He chuckles lowly, adding, “I mean, it’s still really cute…”

“Ah! You scared me!” Hoseok recites, mimicking how Jooheon sounded back in those days. Even Hyunwoo chuckles at this, earning an even bigger pout from the youngest in the room. Minhyuk coos again, propelling himself from the table and to the couch, crushing the other in a hug.

“Hyung!” Jooheon complains, though his smile tells how much he loves the attention. Hoseok watches their antics, Minhyuk pulling at Jooheon’s chubby cheeks and poking his dimples affectionately. He remembers what his own words say, and can’t help but laugh to himself.

“Well don’t just leave your shoes there, that’s what the rack is for.”

 _Whoever this soulmate is, he’s going to be a pain_ , Hoseok can’t help but think, though he can’t really say he minds.  

 

“Changkyunnie,” Kihyun calls from the front door, slipping out of his shoes and putting them on the rack. When there’s no reply, Kihyun shakes his head, and tries once more, raising his voice so that it echoes throughout the apartment. “Changkyun-ah, answer me!” he shouts, already moving towards the younger’s room. He opens the door without knocking, surprising Changkyun so much he nearly drops his laptop. He removes his headphones quickly, looking up surprisedly at Kihyun.

“Welcome home, hyung,” he murmurs, closing his laptop and standing.

“Is Hyungwon-ah back yet?” Kihyun asks, leaning against the doorframe. Changkyun shakes his head, running a hand through his hair as he makes as if to leave the room. “What do you want for dinner tonight?”

“I’ve honestly been wanting chicken all day,” Changkyun chuckles, glancing at the older with hopeful eyes. Kihyun sucks in a thoughtful breath through his teeth. He loves the sound of chicken, but they’ve been needing to cook what food is left in the kitchen before it goes bad all week.

“We can have that this weekend, after the move,” he reasons slowly. Changkyun pouts at this, pausing to wait before going into the bathroom until a decision is made.

“Whatever you feel like making, hyung,” Changkyun sighs, thinking this to be the end of it.

“Whatever you feel like helping me make, dongsaeng,” Kihyun fires back. The sound of the front door opening distracts Kihyun for a moment, and Changkyun takes this moment to slip into the bathroom. Kihyun shakes his head once more, returning to the living room to ask Hyungwon the same question.

“I was actually thinking I could—“

“I’ll just make a hotpot,” Kihyun sighs, waving off Hyungwon’s predictable offer to cook for everyone. Despite his well-meaning, the younger can’t cook worth a damn. Kihyun wouldn’t feel right subjecting Changkyunnie to that.

As he retrieves the ingredients from the fridge, a pain suddenly flares up his right thigh, causing him to pause mid-step until it subsides. He glances around, making sure neither of the others notices. Hyungwon seems too engrossed in the book he’s reading on the couch to have seen, and Changkyun is still in the bathroom. Kihyun breathes a sigh of relief, moving to lean against the counter.

If his soulmate ends up being half a pain as his words are causing him, Kihyun can honestly wait a long time before meeting him.


	2. Chapter 2

"I just don't see what the big deal is," Minhyuk pouts, staring into Jooheon's eyes pleadingly. "Don't you think a vacation would be fun, Jooheonney?" Jooheon squirms under the gaze, finding it very hard to say no to his boyfriend when he looks at him like that.

"No fair!" Hoseok complains, throwing a tomato at Minhyuk. "You can't ask him, because he'll take your side no matter what! We don't have the time to go on a trip, and that's that."

"That's not even considering the money it'll take," Hyunwoo mumbles. Hoseok waves over at the older triumphantly.

"Exactly!"

Minhyuk sighs in defeat as yet another attempt to get these saps to go on a trip with him during the upcoming holiday fails.

"One day," he vows. "I'll get you guys to go somewhere with me one day. Mark my words." Hoseok hums in acknowledgment, downing the last drops of his coffee as he stands.

"Sure, Minhyukkie," he says. He then sighs, going to put his dishes in the sink. "I'm going to work. I'll see you all later tonight."

“But today’s Saturday,” Jooheon murmurs. “I thought you and I were going to play that new game I got last week.”

“Sorry, Jooheon-ah,” Hoseok sighs, “someone flaked at the last minute, and I was asked to cover for them.”

“Hyung!” Jooheon cries, turning to Hyunwoo. “Do you wanna play?” Hyunwoo shifts in his seat, glancing down at the table.

“I can’t,” he replies softly. “I’ve got an interview today for a permanent company position.”

“You do?!” Minhyuk demands. “Why didn’t you say anything? When is it?”

“I should actually be leaving for it now,” Hyunwoo says, standing from the table as well.

“Good luck!” Jooheon and Minhyuk cheerily tell him, flashing him their trademark smiles. Hyunwoo chuckles at seeing this, nodding his thanks.

“I hope you get it, Hyunwoo-ya,” Hoseok says, clapping the older on the shoulder supportively.

"Don't forget to run by the store on your way home!" Minhyuk reminds Hoseok, earning a hum of acknowledgment. They quickly put on their shoes and slip out the door, parting ways once they reach the outside.

  
“This is exactly why I told you both to have your things packed before today,” Kihyun nags, shaking his head at the younger men as they scramble around to throw their belongings into boxes. “Now we aren’t going to be ready to go by the time the movers get here.”

“Sure we will, hyung,” Changkyun tells him. A flicker of a smile dances across his lips, and Kihyun can’t help but chuckle at how cute the younger is.

“Maybe if someone helped,” Hyungwon murmurs, staring pointedly at Kihyun.

“My stuff is already done,” Kihyun fires back, his aggravation spiking. “I even managed to finish up the kitchen before _you_ even got up.” Hyungwon rolls his eyes, shoving his thick-rimmed glass up his nose in silent protest. He sighs, shaking his head at his two dongsaengs. “If you aren’t ready to go by the time they get here, we aren't having chicken for dinner tonight.”

“We'll be ready!” Changkyun protests. “We'll be ready, I promise! Don't cancel on chicken night, hyung. I've been wanting chicken for _so long_.”

“Then pack!” Kihyun commands. And, with that, he leaves the youngers to it.

 _Honestly_ , he thinks, _if those two ever bothered listening to me they’d—_

Kihyun leans against the nearest stack of boxes, clutching onto his thigh. He grits his teeth to keep from shouting out in pain. He focuses on his breathing, hoping for it to subside before either of the others comes in and sees him. He doesn't want to worry them with this, after all. He moves towards the couch, groaning slightly in pain, and sits.

 _The burning has gotten worse_ , Kihyun notes dully. He sighs as he remembers his pain killers are in a bag in his bedroom, berating himself for not thinking to keep some in his pocket for flare-ups like these.

“Hyung, I—” Kihyun glances up to see Changkyun enter the living room, and the worried expression to overtake his face. He rushes over to sit beside Kihyun on the couch, staring concernedly into the older’s eyes. “Are you okay, hyung? You look really pale, and you're sweating a little. Do you have a fever?”

“No, Kyunnie,” Kihyun replies, trying to think of how best to answer. “I'm alright, really. Just a bit overworked from the move, is all.”

“Do you need anything?” Changkyun offers in a sweet voice. Kihyun chuckles, affectionately ruffling the younger’s hair.

“I have a bag in my bedroom,” Kihyun tells him. “Could you bring it to me?” Changkyun nods, a determined pout set on his face, and he leaves the room only to return a second late with the bag. Kihyun smiles gratefully at him as he begins to go through it. He finds his pills and pops two into his mouth.

“If it gets serious,” Changkyun says, his tone much more serious than usual, “then please tell me and Hyungwon-hyung. I don't want your pride to let some sort of sickness get worse.” Kihyun laughs again, finding his bluntness absolutely adorable, and tells him that he will. Changkyun nods, humming in acknowledgment as he gets up to finish packing.

  
Hoseok gets home after only needing to work half the day, grocery bags hanging from his arms. He kicks open the door and makes his way to the kitchen. He begins unpacking the groceries, putting away the countless ramyeons and other necessities. He chuckles as he gets to the bag of marshmallows, looking for somewhere to hide them. Jooheon hadn't asked for them, but he knows the younger loves the sugary treats and wants to surprise him. He hears the front door open, and he quickly shoves them behind his ramyeon tower as he turns to see who it is.

“Hyung!” Minhyuk says surprisedly upon seeing who's in the kitchen. “I thought you had work, what happened?”

“The guy was only meant to work half a day,” Hoseok answers, relaxing. He turns to continue his work. Minhyuk hums, joining him at the cabinet to help.

“I was just visiting with the landlady,” Minhyuk says. “She says we're getting some new neighbors today.” Hoseok hums, not really all that concerned with the gossip of the building. “She also mentioned that they'll be having a housewarming party to get to know their neighbors. Everyone in the building is invited.”

“That's nice of them,” Hoseok comments, a bit distracted. He frowns at the drink in his hands, sure he had gotten more than two packs of beer. He sighs, shrugging, as he sets it down. He had gotten sidetracked in the store trying to find the nearest bottle of pain suppressants, because of another flare-up. He ended up buying two bottles of the pills after having gotten weird looks from the nearby employee.

“We should go,” Minhyuk stares plainly. Hoseok gives a noncommittal ‘hmm’. Minhyuk, able to tell that Hoseok isn't really listening to him, takes advantage of the situation and brightens up, propelling himself towards the older in a bone-crushing hug. “Thanks, hyung! I knew you'd agree!” He then escapes the room before a baffled Hoseok can say anything to the contrary.

Hoseok frowns confusedly at the way the younger had run, rerunning the conversation in his mind. He groans in frustration as he realizes what it is he's agreed to. He has half a mind to go after Minhyuk and tell him he can't go to the party after all, but, he remembers how excited Minhyuk was about it and just can't bring himself to.

He has been all-work-and-no-play Hoseok lately… Maybe he should go to this party, just to have somewhere to go other than home, work, and the store. After all, it'll be a good way to get on good terms with the new neighbors early on.


	3. Chapter 3

Kihyun scurries about around their new apartment, making sure everything is in order for the housewarming party Changkyun insisted on them throwing.

“Everything to your satisfaction?” Hyungwon listlessly asks from the couch, smirking knowingly as he watches his hyung pace around the room. Kihyun ignores the almost sarcastic comment, rolling his eyes at the younger. Changkyun comes in, tossing his shoes haphazardly onto the shoe rack as he hurries to the kitchen to bowl the last few bags of chips he had just purchased.

“Changkyun-ah!” Kihyun snaps, moving to fix the mess he had just made.

“Sorry, hyung!” Changkyun calls back. “The store took longer than I thought it would!” He returns with two more bowls of chips, and sets them on the coffee table. “You know, maybe this is too much food. Maybe we—”

“What’re you so nervous for?” Hyungwon asks suspiciously, quirking up an inquisitive brow. “Both of you have been acting weird today. Is there something going on that I don’t know about?”

“I don’t know, hyung,” Changkyun answers, puffing out an annoyed breath with inflated cheeks. He licks his lips, his eyes flashing up to the ceiling as he tries to figure out how best to word this. “It just… It feels like today is really important. It feels like something really great is going to happen… Don’t you feel it?”  
  
“No,” Hyungwon answers, deadpanned. Changkyun pouts, turning to Kihyun for support.

“Don’t you feel it, Kihyunnie-hyung?”

“I…” Kihyun says distractedly, doing his best not to wince in pain as his words flare up as soon as he opens his mouth. He clears his throat, forcing out a chuckle. “You’re so cute, Kyunnie.” He ruffles his dongsaeng’s hair, earning a yelp of protest as he runs to the bathroom to fix it. Kihyun shakes his head at the typical reaction, and goes to join Hyungwon on the couch. He sits down slowly, doing his best not to seem too obvious as he nurses his pain.

“Hyung,” Hyungwon says, the concern in his voice telling Kihyun he had absolutely failed in that respect, “are you okay?”

“Fine,” Kihyun answers, waving off his worry. “No need to worry about me, Hyungwon-ah. Everything’s under control.” Hyungwon frowns, snapping the book closed that he had been attempting to read all afternoon but failing at doing so.

“Changkyunnie told me about him finding you looking sick the other day,” Hyungwon tells him. “If something were bothering you, you’d tell one of us, wouldn’t you?” Kihyun glances over, immediately regretting the action at seeing the younger’s intense, sincere gaze frozen on him. Kihyun pushes down the guilt he feels bubbling up and nods his response, trying for a bright smile.

“Of course, Wonnie.” Hyungwon doesn’t seem entirely convinced, but he lets the subject drop. The truth has a way to coming to the light, one way or another.

  
People start arriving about five minutes after the set arrival time, Kihyun can't help but note. Obviously, they've moved into a building where it's better to not be the first ones doing anything than being courteous… Kihyun can mingle with the best of them, though, having a natural affinity for schmoozing pretty much anyone. A talent, Changkyun always says, is what got him such a good corporate job so soon out of school. Hyungwon even glides through the crowd in their apartment with relative ease, his good looks making it easy for him to flatter anyone there at the party into polite conversation.

Changkyun, however, isn't so lucky. His offbeat sense of humor tends to throw people off during initial meetings, and since a joke is the only thing Changkyun can seem to say in situations that make in anxious—such as meeting a ton of new people at once—it doesn't exactly go well for him. He ends up following Kihyun around like a little lost pup by the time people are beginning to leave. A tendency that Kihyun never usually minds, granted, but Kihyun has had to hide himself in the kitchen on more than one occasion tonight just to try and get a handle on his pain. Luckily, Changkyun seems too busy with his own anxiety to take much notice of Kihyun's ailment.

  
“We've been here for two hours, Minhyukkie,” Hoseok sighs, glancing around the apartment. The décor is really nice, compared to what some of his other neighbors have done with their places. But, he isn't one to judge. He takes a drink of beer as he adds, “I’m beat, my words are killing me… Could we just go home now?”

“No, hyung,” Minhyuk sighs with a smile. “Between your weird mood and Hyunwoo-hyung mysteriously drifting off in a different direction every ten minutes, I haven't had time to enjoy myself. Now relax, and mingle.” He then pats the older’s shoulder consolingly, adding, “Who knows? Your words have been bothering you a lot more today than usual. Maybe that means your soulmate could even be in this room?” He then winks almost conspiratorially at Hoseok, and then wanders off to chat with the neighbors.

Hoseok rolls his eyes after the younger, shaking his head. That would be something, wouldn't it… However, Hoseok knows he can't be that lucky. He sighs, moving towards the kitchen. He might as well get another beer, seeing as how Minhyuk won't be wanting to leave anytime soon. He'd leave himself, but he'd worry too much about whatever trouble Minhyuk could get himself into without him there.

“I swear, if anyone out there owns those shoes haphazardly thrown around the shoe rack…” an annoyed voice slams into him as he enters the room.

He gasps sharply, his words searing against his skin. He has to lean against the wall for support, breathing deeply as his head swims. His vision blurs, his breathing becoming labored and short. He's vaguely aware of a hand grabbing his arm, and guiding him away. He’s pushed gently down into a chair. He knows he should thank whoever this is helping him, figuring he probably looks like a drunken mess. His ears are ringing, nearly deafening him. He can't hear anything aside from the pumping of his own blood, he—

“You really shouldn't get so plastered in a stranger’s home, you know,” a nagging voice suddenly breaks through all the noise.

Then, everything is gone. All the pain, all the raucous... His vision clears up, and his mouth drops open in shock.

 _You_ , he realizes, taking in the appearance of the short male frowning at him. He's at a loss as to what to say. What should he say? What's on this guy’s body? What's he been waiting all his life to hear?

“I’m n-n-not p-plastered…”

 _Great_ , Hoseok thinks, inwardly groaning at his own blubbering. _What a perfect first impression, Hoseok. Now he's gonna think I'm an idiot._

The man before him sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth, leaning against the table. His eyes widen, his mouth falling open slightly. Hoseok is unsure how long he stares at the stranger, taking in his beauty.

 _He’s gorgeous_ , he thinks, blatantly staring. _Wow, I can't believe I get to see this angel for the rest of my life…_


End file.
